Page 36 of Touched By Destiny

Gabriel had him switch some of the other screens to ensure they had the best views until it was replaced. And he ordered an extra walk-through for the fifteen people currently on shift. By the time he wrapped up his call, the armored car was sliding to a stop in a parking lot next to a weathered strip mall. None of the businesses were open yet, but a few other vehicles were already sprinkled throughout the lot.

After climbing out of the car, Gabriel waited for Eric to do the same and shut the door. Eric marched forward a couple of steps, and Gabriel didn’t bother to chastise himself as his hungry gaze swept down the necromancer’s lithe frame. Eric was many things—kind, imaginative, and intelligent—and sexy was on that list too.

If Gabriel was going to be in a relationship with him, he had to stop feeling guilty or dismissing the tugs of attraction. But since the man was working, Gabriel would save the compliments springing to mind for when they were alone again.

“Is he here?” Gabriel asked softly.

“About two or three rows over,” Eric replied distractedly as he headed north. “I’m going to talk to him.”

To keep from interfering, Gabriel didn’t answer as he followed Eric and ensured danger wasn’t lurking anywhere. Once Eric was close to his spirit, he stopped and turned to face Gabriel so any passerby would think they were talking to one another.

“Hi, I’m Eric,” he said, then grinned widely a heartbeat later. “Hi, Connor, it’s nice to meet you.”

Gabriel pulled his phone out and checked his email discreetly as Eric continued to chatter with their guest, Connor. Things weren’t going well. Eric was trying to explain in low tones how he could hear the spirit, but either the man didn’tunderstand or wasn’t listening. For twenty minutes, Gabriel listened to Eric go from optimistic to frustrated. Then Eric bared his teeth and growled low in his throat.

“What’s wrong?” Gabriel asked, pocketing his phone.

“Connor left. Damn it. He doesn’t think he’s dead. He’s convinced I’m delusional.”

“Wait, what?”

“Yeah, mediums aren’t real, so I’m trying to trick people and take his money. All I figured out is that his partner died late last year, and he hates being without him. But he’s a healthy guy. So healthy he doesn’t even need to go to the doctor.”

“Sounds like Connor should’ve made an appointment with one.”

“It must’ve been sudden. He crossed so fast all he remembers is being alive.”

“You’ve got your work cut out for you,” Gabriel said with more than a little empathy for the struggle Eric had ahead of him to convince Connor he was dead and that he needed to cross through one of his portals to join his partner. “Good thing Connor found the only destiny-touched necro around and you won’t stop until his spirit is at ease.”

Eric scoffed and shook his head in disbelief. “You really think I’m alone? No way. My presence has been kept a secret for two and a half decades. There must be tons of others like me. Maybe some even in Vegas. They’re the ones lucky enough to have security almost as good as mine. I’m not as special as everyone thinks. I don’t buy that. There wouldn’t be so many necros trying to get rid of us if we were super rare. If that were the case, only a few necros would even know we existed.”

“I feel really stupid for not looking at it like that. I guess I always figured given Clark’s connections, we’d know about others living nearby, but we’ve kept you a secret. Now that I’m thinking about it…inspirits disappear for years after they growskeletal, but humans have never found one. Or they’ve kept quiet about it. So, if inspirits are that good at being concealed by necros, of course the destiny-touched are in hiding too. Just like you.”

“I bet some of them sleep with their windows open.”

“Are you wearing one of those thongs?”

“No, why?”

“Oh, I was just wondering if your tight-ass underwear was cutting off the circulation to your brain, because you’re not sleeping with a window open.”

Eric leaned forward and flashed a flirty smile. “When are you going to invite me to sleep over?”

“Did you make a second crystal?”

“Yes, but I need to test it. I didn’t want to pop in without your permission, and I kinda needed to be alone yesterday.”

“Me too, I understand. Come over tonight. But don’t wear sexy underwear, we’re just gonna talk.”

“And test my crystals.”

“It’s a deal.”

“Can we wait a few minutes and see if Connor comes back?”

“You’re the boss.”

With an even more rascally grin, Eric chuckled. “Someday I’ll be straddling you as you pound my ass, and I’m going to make you yell that.”

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